Judge Denies Union Shutdown Petition

WFB: A federal judge turned down a federal union’s bid for a temporary restraining order against forcing federal employees to work without pay during the government shutdown.

On Tuesday, U.S. District Court Judge Richard J. Leon rejected the National Treasury Employees Union motion for a temporary restraining order that would have curtailed the government’s ability to force federal employees to report for work without paychecks. Although workers have received their backpay at the end of past shutdowns, NTEU argued that the practice of forcing essential employees to continue working is unconstitutional since the executive branch is operating without congressional appropriations. Judge Leon said the motion could throw the political process into “disarray” even as he acknowledged that workers “are not the ones at fault,” according to Courthouse News.

“At best it would create chaos and confusion,” U.S. District Judge Richard Leon said. “At worst, it could be catastrophic.” more here

I think Trump was again playing 3D chess. He funded the shit he was worried about before the shut down. He anticipated that Dems that won in districts that he won in would be forced to the middle. More popcorn please.

I don’t understand, though, why those essential government employees who are working are not paid. Some government payroll is getting paid, right? If so, shouldn’t everyone who is working get paid for it?

Some government workers are being paid because they are in departments that have approved spending authorizations under the last congress. For example, DoD has an approved budget, passed by congress and signed by the president, that includes all of their operating expenses including payroll for all of FY2018 (through September). Most of the rest of the government does too. Just a few agencies like DoJ are unfunded. They don’t have any authorization to pay anyone, but those employees agreed to work in “essential” positions. “Essential” really means “emergency essential” and it means they have to come to work no matter what else is happening. For example, the guy who operates the snow plow can’t take off the day it snows. So, some small percentage of government employee is working with deferred pay (not without pay, huge difference), and it isn’t slavery because they are free to quit any time they like.